PC Species of Urthe
The PC Species of Urthe are all the available playable character types of the Urthe campaign setting. They are organized below based on the timeline of their appearance on Urthe. Naturally, campaigns set in a particular age of Urthe are limited to the PC species and races available in that age, and the ages previous. In other words, unless time travel is involved, you can't have a human PC before the Fourth Age, or a Dwarf PC before the Second Age. Currently, campaigns are generally set in the sixth age (ie. the present), so all the species and races listed below are available as playable characters in those campaigns, at the DM's discretion. This list assists in matching, dating and identifying artifacts and ancient civilizations with their respective ages and species makeup, and clarifies certain matters of lineage (ie. how far a character's ancestors date back, etc.). To the eye of outsiders, the differences between the species, or between the races within species, are mostly cosmetic, but the PC species of Urthe would all maintain that there are important cultural differences between the groups. PC Races of the First Age 'High Elf '(Sunrise Elves, Gold Elves) (Seldarus Aureus) +1 DEX, -1 CON *Created by Corellon Larethian. *Average height: 5'; average weight: 105 lbs. *The most frequently encountered race of Elf. *Pale, creamy skinned. *Blonde haired/blue eyed or dark haired and green eyed. *Prefer pastel shades, and cloaks of forest green. *Adept with bow, longsword, shortsword; armored in chain mail. PC Races of the Second Age 'Mountain Dwarf' (Moradus Montem) +1 CON, -1 CHA *Created by Moradin Soulforger. *Live in isolated strongholds carved inside large mountains. *Skin is more reddish, hair and eyes lighter than Hill Dwarves. *Average height: 4' 2"; average weight: 160 lbs. *Stocky, muscular bodies. *Beards are ubiquitous for both sexes. 'Wild Elf '(Wood Elves, Sylvan Elves, Copper Elves) (Seldarus Sylvaticus) +1 STR, +1 DEX, -1 CON, -1 CHA *Quasi-feral branch of High Elven ancestry. *Average height: 4' 6"; average weight: 105 lbs. *Nomadic tribal organization, often represented by tattoos. *Blonde to reddish hair; lightly tanned skin; light brown or green eyes is common, hazel or blue is more rare. *Favor clothes in the natural colours and textures of their surroundings: browns and green, shifting to reds in the fall, white in the winter. *Led by intuition, emotion, strength; very reclusive, associate more with animals than other sentient beings. *Steatopygia, a high degree of fat accumulation on the buttocks, is most common.. This distinctive characteristic, most noted in females, appears to be an adaptation to varying cyclic nutritional opportunities for hunter-gatherers. 'Grey Elf '(Gray Elves, Silver Elves) (Seldarus Canus) +2 INT, +1 DEX, -2 CON, -1 STR *Evolved branch of High Elven ancestry. *Average height: 5' 6"; average weight: 105 lbs. *The most aloof of the elves, tallest of the elves, and the most reliant on intelligence above all. *Silver haired and amber eyed, or rarely, pale golden hair and violet eyes (known as Faerie Elves, some of whom are associated with the rise of humankind. *Live in hidden citadels and hermitage cities on high mountaintops. *Dress in regal attire of gold and yellow, silver and white, with overcloaks of blue or purple. *Armored in plate or chain mail, with winged helms, often mounted on hippogriffs or griffons. *Often believe strongly in their own racial purity, especially regarding social taboos concerning Half Elves. PC Races of the Third Age 'Hill Dwarf' (Moradus Collis) +1 CON, -1 CHA *Evolved branch of Mountain Dwarven ancestry. *The most commonly encountered Dwarves. *Average height: 3'10"; average weight: 140 lbs. *Live in areas of rolling hills, with strongholds underground and outposts on the surface. *Skin is tan or light brown, with ruddy cheeks and bright eyes. *Hair is black, grey, brown, or red. *Hill dwarves favour dark, sombre earth-tone clothes, and wear little jewelry. *Beards are large and bushy for all males, and some females. '* Dark Elf' (Dross Elves, Drow) (Seldarus Lolthi) +2 DEX, +1 INT, -2 CHA, -1 CON *Evolved branch of Grey Elven ancestry. *Average height: 4' 6"; average weight: 105 lbs. *Live in underground, matriarchal cities. *Females are stronger and smarter than males. *Believe in Might over Justice. *Black skinned, white haired, red eyed, and shorter than most elves. *Hate all the other elven races passionately. 'Rock Gnome' (Garlus Saxum) +1 INT, -1 WIS *Created by Garl Glittergold. *Big nosed, cheerful, industrious: the stereotypical gnome. *No preference for any one type of climate, but make their homes in areas of abundant rock. *Fond of gemstones, especially diamonds, Rock Gnomes are the greatest of the Gnomish gemcutters. *Lightly built, but strong as most humans. *Eyes are usually blue, sometimes green, rarely yellow or brown. *Skin is brown, from light tan to black. *Hair is widely vaired, like human hair, during youth, but upon adulthood, hair turns pale grey or white. *Males are bearded, starting around their second century. Beards are kept short and neatly trimmed. *Life expectancy is around 500 -750 years. *Ideal meal is boiled unspiced meat, potatoes and mushrooms, with unleavened bread. *Very musical people. 'Hairfoot Halfling' (Yondallus Pilipodi) +1 DEX, -1 STR *Created by Yondalla. *Most common of the Halfling races. *Live in small rural villages and pastoral/georgic settings. *Round faced, and roundly built, with skin ranging from pale and pink to dark and dusky. *Hair runs from blonde to black, and eye are brown or hazel, usually. *Furry footed, but beardless. *Favor clothes that are brightly coloured, but confortable and practical above all. *Live in burrows built above and beneath the ground. PC Races of the Fourth Age '* Aquatic Elf '(Water Elves, Sea Elves) (Seldarus Aqua) +1 DEX, -1 INT *Evolved branch of Wild Elven ancestry. *Average height: 5'; average weight: 105 lbs. *Infrequently encountered but as abundant as surface dwelling elves. *Breathe like a fish, through gill slits located behind the ear and jawline. *Can live for a short, but painful, period out of water. *Silver/green skinned, rarely with a bluish tinge, and blue-green or greenish hair. *Usually harbor an intense dislike of sharks, while being friendly with dolphins. 'Archetypal Human' (Mortalis Archetypon) No Modifier *Evolved branch of Ape ancestry. *Except for a pygmy variety (a subrace where adult males grow to less than 4 feet 11 inches in average height), an archetypal human is typically of fair stature, and the body and limbs slender. *Average height: 5'6"; average weight: 160 lbs. *The skin is of various shades of brown to black. The primary determinant of skin color is the amount, density and distribution of the pigment melanin, which is associated with environmental factors varying with latitude. Dark skin offers protection from harmful UV radiation. The percentage of light reflected from black or dark brown skin varies from 12 to 42 per cent, whereas it rises to 55 to 72 per cent for white or tan skin. *Archetypal humans have dark brown or black eyes. The hair is black, short and crisp or woolly, or kinky. In males, the beard and body-hair are usually scanty. *The nose is flat as well as broad, and the lips are thick and projecting. *Steatopygia, a high degree of fat accumulation on the buttocks, is common. This distinctive characteristic, most noted in females, appears to be an adaptation to varying cyclic nutritional opportunities for hunter-gatherers. 'Dexterous Human ' (Mortalis Sollertes) +1 DEX, -1 STR *Evolved branch of mixed Archetypal Human and Neanderthal ancestry. *Relatively tall stature. *Average height: 5' 8"; average weight: 150 lbs. *Their skin ranges from brown to almost black. *Eyes are dark brown or black. *Hair is black or dark brown, straight or wavy, long.'' '' *The nose is straight, long and narrow. *Beard is often well developed, in males, while females often have some sparse facial hair, too. 'Strong Human ' (Mortalis Fortis) +1 STR, -1 DEX *Evolved branch of mixed Archetypal Human and Neanderthal ancestry. *Average height: 5' 8"; average weight: 160 lbs. *Strong Humans tend to be of relatively tall stature. *They have white or tan skin: the tan on some can be quite dark. *The eyes are black, brown, blue, green, hazel or grey. *Light-colored skin is an adaptation to higher latitudes, favoring low levels of melanin pigmentation for prevalent low levels of UV radiation, to improve Vitamin D synthesis in the absence of brilliant sunlight. *The hair is black, brown, blond, or red, straight, wavy or curly. *In males, the beard is abundant. Male pattern baldness is relatively common. *The nose tends to be long and narrow. 'Half-Elf '(Half Humans) (Mortalis Seldari) No Modifier *Evolved branch of combined Human and Elven ancestry, usually High Elven descent. *Never welcomed in Grey Elven society, but may be more acceptable among other Elven sub-cultures. *Often outsiders. *Take on elements of both parents' appearance. '* Half-Orc '(Half Humans) Orukus Mortalis) +1 STR, +1 CON, -2 CHA '' '' *Evolved branch of mixed Orcish and Human ancestry. *Looks favour the orcish side, with skin a greyish pallor, and hair coarse and bristly. 'Stout Halfling' (Yondallus Robusti) +1 DEX or CON, -1 STR *Evolved branch of Hairfoot Halfling ancestry. *More thickly built, with muscle, than other Halfling races. *Ruddy complexion, Stouts blush easily, and get flushed hen drinking liquor. *Hair is light, blonde and sandy red usually; eyes are blue, green, or grey. *Stouts can grow some facial hair, usually thick muttonchop sideburns, or the rare moustache. *Favour practical garb, often of well-cured leather, with colour and fine cut clothes reserved for special occassions. *Unlike other Halflings, Stouts often wear boots. *Stouts prefer the company of Dwarves to that of Humans. *Villages are generally in hilly, rocky areas with good fishing waters and growing land. *Have an affinity for mining more than farming, except where mushrooms are concerned. *Skilled swimmers and boatmen *Stouts tend to live in fully-underground burrows. *Infravision 60'. PC Races of the Fifth Age 'Stout Human' (Mortalis Robusti) +1 CON, -1 INT *Evolved branch of Dexterous Human ancestry. *Average height: 5' 6"; average weight: 160 lbs. *Commonly of fair stature, with well-developed torso and arms, and slender legs. *The color of the skin is a shade of chocolate-brown or black, and the eyes are very dark brown or black. *The hair is usually raven-black, not woolly, but fine and silky in texture, wavy, and long. *The beard in males is well developed, as is the hair upon the body and the eyebrows. *Male pattern balding is relatively common. *The nose is broad, the jaws are heavy, and the lips thick. 'Bright Human' (Mortalis Sagax) +1 INT, -1 CHA *Evolved branch of mixed Dexterous Human and Strong Human ancestry. *Average height: 5' 4"; average weight: 150 lbs. *Tend to be short in stature, but this may be at least in part due to nutrition. *The skin is yellow or yellow-brown; the nose is flat and small. *The eyes have an epicanthal fold and are black or dark brown. The epicanthal fold is a fold of skin that covers the inner corner of the eye, giving Asians a characteristic narrow, almond-shaped eye shape. This adaptation probably evolved as protection against cold and windy conditions in northern Asia. *Asians have black, straight, hair, scanty on the body and face, but long on the scalp. *Male pattern baldness is relatively rare. 'Forest Gnome' (Garlus Sylvani) +1 DEX, +1 WIS, -1 STR, -1 INT *Evolved branch of Rock Gnomish ancestry. *Shy and reclusive, very much like fey creatures, living in very small communities. *Prefer houses at least partially above ground, usually in hollow tree trunks. *Emerald is the favoured gen of these gnomes. *Jewelry tends to depict nature themes. *Smallest race of gnomes, but still feature large noses. *Inclined to wear hair and beards very long, trimmed to a fine point, or curled into horns. *Skin is like a greenish cast of tan, rather like tree bark, often darkened and ruddy from weather. *Eyes are brown, or blue, sometimes green, while hair is brown, black, turning grey and white with age. *Mostly raw-food vegetarian gatherers, taking meat infrequently, and with reverence, and never using traps to hunt. *Forest Gnomes are highly skilled wood carvers, and are distrustful of magic. *Orcs, troglodytes and lizardmen are the most hated enemies. *Average life expectancy of 500 years. 'Tallfellow Halfling' (Yondallus Alti) +1 DEX OR WIS, -1 STR *Evolved branch of Hairfoot Halfling ancestry. *Rarest of the Halfling species, Tallfellows make their home in temperate woodlands near elves. *Slender and light boned compared to other halflings. *Often wear hair long, topped by a brightly coloured cap. Clothes favour woodland shades of brown, yellow, and vibrant greens. *Longest lived of the Halfling races. *Like Hairfeet, Tallfellows shun footwear. Some ride horses. *Tallfellows live in above-ground homes with many windows. *Show affinity for woodworking, carpentry, etc. and are adept at harvesting berries, wild grains, nuts, etc. *Commonly armed with spears when in military formation. PC Races of the Sixth Age '* Winged Elf '(Avariel) (Seldarus Avari) +2 DEX, +1 WIS, -2 CON, -1 STR *Evolved branch of Grey Elven ancestry. *Average height: 5' 6"; average weight: 145 lbs. *Large feathered wings grow from the back, adding weight to the slender elven frame. *Palest of elf skin, blonde or white hair, and different shades of blue eyes. *Live in high mountain aeries in cold climates. 'Wise Human' (Mortalis Sophos) +1 WIS, -1 CON *Evolved branch of Bright Human ancestry. *Average height: 5' 6"; average weight: 160 lbs. *Reddish Brown skin, with lank, dark brown or black hair. *Body and facial hair are typically sparse, but male pattern baldness is rare. *Eyes are dark brown or black, and the nose is typically long and narrow. *The front teeth often dislay a characteristic shovel-shape. 'Noble Human' (Mortalis Decorus) +1 CHA, -1 WIS *Evolved branch of Bright Human ancestry. *Average height: 5' 6"; average weight: 170 lbs. *Seafaring people, often decorated with tattoos. *Skin is various shades of brown. *The eyes are dark brown or black, with some obliquity and incidence of epicanthal fold. *The nose is usually short and the hair is black, lank, and long. *Body and facial hair are typically sparse, but male pattern baldness is rare. (*PC races marked with an asterisk are allowed only in rare circumstances, at DM's discretion.) Category:Biology